Newstead Abbey Nottingham

Newstead Abbey, Nottingham

Newstead Abbey, about 20 km (12 miles) north of the centre of Nottingham, is a former Augustinian priory, most famous for once being the ancestral home of the poet Lord Byron.

The stately home and 300 acres of beautiful grounds are now owned by Nottingham City Council. They are open to the public and make for a wonderful day out.

Newstead Abbey was once the ancestral seat of Byron. — Newstead Abbey was once the ancestral seat of the Romantic poet Lord Byron who lived at Newstead from 1808 to 1814

Lord Byron lived at Newstead Abbey from 1808 to 1814. — The Fort overlooking the lake was built in 1749 by the fifth Lord Byron

History

The original priory dates from around 1170 and was built on the orders of King Henry II. It was one of several penances the king paid for his complicity in the murder of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, also in 1170.

The main buildings were enlarged in both the 13th and 16th centuries before the priory was confiscated during Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539.

Sir John Byron, a local nobleman in Nottingham, took possession in 1540. Over the following generations the Byron family converted the ecclesiastical buildings into a country house.

However, by the time George Gordon Byron, the future poet inherited the house and estate in 1798 it was in severe financial difficulties and much in need of repair. This was due to the substantial gambling debts of his predecessor, the 5th Baron Byron.

Relax or enjoy a picnic at Newstead Abbey. — Relax or enjoy a picnic at Newstead Abbey in Nottinghamshire

Byron lived at the property with his mother from 1808 to 1814 and tried his best to restore it.

The poet lamented its semi-ruin in the lines: Thro' thy battlements, Newstead, the hollow winds whistle;
Thou, the hall of my fathers, art gone to decay.

The poet finally managed to sell near the end of his short life. Now Newstead has a museum dedicated to Byron. On display are letters, manuscripts, his gilt wood bed, pistol and desk.

Also of interesting is a memorial in the grounds (see below) of a poem Epitaph to a Dog, that the poet wrote on the death of his beloved Newfoundland dog, Boatswain.

The poem Epitaph to a Dog as inscribed on Boatswain's monument. — The poem Epitaph to a Dog as inscribed on Boatswain's monument

Later Owners

Thomas Wildman (1787-1859), a friend of Byron's from Harrow, who made his fortune partly off the back of slaves toiling on his plantations in Jamaica, bought the house.

Wildman commissioned the architect John Shaw and made considerable restorations to the property.

In 1861, the house was bought by William Frederick Webb (1829-1899) a British army officer like Wildman and also an explorer in Africa who knew Livingstone. The house remained within the Webb family until it was sold to Sir Julien Cahn (1882-1944), a local businessman and philanthropist who gave the house to Nottingham Corporation in 1931.

Things to See & Do

The West Front is the original façade of the old priory and along with the cloisters are the oldest part of Newstead Abbey visitors can see today.

The Chapter House is now the Chapel of St Mary, formerly the family chapel of the Byron family. Within the house are collections of Victorian paintings, letters, documents and photographs showcasing the history of the house and its various owners during the Victorian period.

The 300 acres of grounds include both formal, hedged and walled gardens as well as lakes, ponds and cascades in a more parkland setting. The grounds have several set walks and trails leading to the major sights within them.

The Walled Gardens have a Japanese theme with traditional bamboo groves, stone lanterns and stepping stones.

Access

Newstead Abbey
Ravenshead
Nottinghamshire
NG15 8NA
Tel: 0115 876 3100
www: newsteadabbey.org.uk

Newstead Abbey is 12 miles (20 km) north of Nottingham city centre on the A60. Follow the signs for Sherwood Forest from Junction 27 on the north-south M1 motorway and then the brown signs to the abbey.

Using public transport take the Robin Hood Line from Nottingham to Worksop and get off at Newstead. From here it is around 1.5 km (1 mile) on foot along the estate drive.

Newstead Abbey lake and grounds. — Newstead Abbey lake and grounds

Hotels

Nottingham has a wide range of accommodation options to choose from.

These include the four-star De Vere Orchard Hotel, adjacent to the East Midlands Conference Centre, the centrally-located Hart's Hotel, also four stars, Jurys Inn Nottingham and the three-star Holiday Inn Nottingham at Castle Marina Park.

See a complete listing of hotels in Nottingham.